Carestream has been on the cutting edge of healthcare technology in the imaging space in India since 1991. Sushant Kinra, in his recently acquired position as Country Business Manager of Carestream India, speaks to Lakshmipriya Nair, about how the company will continue to thrive in this frequently changing business environment
What is the potential for growth in the Indian healthcare sector?
Healthcare expenditure in India is around one per cent of the total GDP, while it is 17 per cent in the US. Both of these percentage spends are extremes. India’s healthcare spends is expected to reach around 2.5 per cent in near future. In light of government expenditure going up, we are quite certain that the nation’s healthcare sector is poised for take-off. As a matter of fact, compared to other sectors, we foresee more opportunities emerging in healthcare, going by the very nature of the criticality of service it offers.
Given that you foresee a huge opportunity in this sector. What is your vision for Carestream India?
Our very presence in a sector that is poised for growth is an opportunity in itself. For Carestream, our vision is to add value to our customers’ business. We, on our part, have to therefore understand the entire workflow at customers’ end to position our solutions in a way that addresses the challenges. Carestream has to be positioned such that we cater to changing needs, which in turn translates into higher customer satisfaction.
What methodology is Carestream adopting currently to achieve this vision?
At present, my area of attention is overall organisational behaviour. Currently, we are present in the area of medical imaging in all segments – from small, medium to large imaging centres. We have to capitalise on this presence and keep tapping into our potential here. For this, we have to structure our organisation such that we optimally address this entire segment and go as closer as possible to our customers. The needs of a small-sized imaging centre in a small town may be different from those of an imaging centre based in a metro. How we address this diverse spectrum of needs through innovation in structure and solutions, would be my yardstick for success. This is also my immediate priority.
What market opportunities and trends do you witness in India’s radiology market?
A very obvious trend is the shift from analog to digital technology. This transition alone has created immense value for our customers. As an example, look at the photography space. In this space, the shift from the analog to digital cameras had created a tremendous value in terms of high quality workflow and reduction in overall cost. We have been strong on the analog platform and now also have a strong portfolio in digital technology. Our strength would lie in continuing to make the switch seamless.
Which key result areas are you focussing on in your new role as Country Business Manager of Carestream India?
In the short term, I would like to drive our focus back to gaining market share, in both, analog and digital space. While the former is a declining market, I believe, we can still continue to gain overall market share. The digital terrain is expanding; gaining market share is almost a foregone objective for us in this area. My priority is to position ourselves as the number one in analog and digital market space, which can only be achieved if we meet our clients’ changing needs and are quickly receptive to their transient nature.
IRIA is a great platform to connect with right people in the medical imaging market. What are you planning to showcase at this event?
At the IRIA 2015 conference, we will be launching Vita Flex CR, a complete plug and play CR system that gives power in the hands of customers. The spotlight would also be on our flagship product DRX Revolution – a complete X-ray system on wheels. DryView 6950 Laser Imager, a new premium laser imager that outputs images from CT, MR, digital mammography and other imaging modalities onto radiographic films, would be another highlight of the event. At this platform, we will also showcase our innovative new workflow solution, Managed Printing Solutions that takes care of complete medical printing needs of imaging facilities, allowing them to focus on their core business.
What message you would like to give to Carestream stakeholders?
Our prime message is that Carestream is determined to assure customer satisfaction. Assurance of employee satisfaction is also critical to our growth. If we can achieve both, we would meet our objectives. However, at Carestream, nothing is more important for us than our relationship with customers.
lakshmipriya.nair@expressindia.com